Israeli strikes kill seven people in Gaza, medics say

Israeli strikes killed at least ​seven Palestinians in two separate ‌attacks in ​the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, the territory's health officials said.

In Gaza City, an Israeli airstrike on an apartment killed one woman, wounded ‌her husband and several others, medics said. The Israeli military said the strike targeted a Hamas militant who was planning to execute attacks against its forces.

Medics said another Israeli airstrike on a vehicle ‌killed at least four people and wounded 14 others in the Tel Al-Hawa neighbourhood, in Gaza ‌City, while a strike near a mosque in Khan Younis, south of the enclave, killed a local journalist, Mohammad Al-Najar, and wounded others. Later on Wednesday, an Israeli airstrike killed one person near Qarara town, in the southern Gaza ⁠Strip, medics ​said, taking the day's death ⁠toll to at least seven.

The Israeli military did not immediately comment on any of the three latest strikes. Israel, which ⁠says Hamas has been rearming and launching attacks in violation of an October ceasefire, has stepped up strikes ​on the group in recent weeks.

Hamas has denied trying to carry out attacks or ⁠rebuild its arsenal and accuses Israel of undermining the Gaza peace deal. Last year's US-brokered ceasefire calls for eventual reconstruction of ⁠the ​territory. But little progress has been made as negotiators have failed to agree terms for Hamas to disarm and Israel to withdraw its troops.

Israeli airstrikes have continued. At least 1,400 Palestinians ⁠have been killed in Gaza since the ceasefire, according to the territory's health officials, while Israel ⁠says four of its soldiers ⁠have been killed. Palestinian authorities say more than 74,000 people have been killed in Israel's assault on Gaza, launched after Hamas-led fighters killed about 1,200 ‌people in ‌southern Israel in October 2023.